Editorial: Washington memorial will teach millions about Eisenhower

The Capital-Journal Editorial Board

Sunday

Sep 25, 2016 at 6:47 PM

Every American should rejoice that an agreement has finally been reached on a memorial for Dwight D. Eisenhower in Washington, D.C.

Every Kansan should be doubly thrilled with the final design. It will include a tribute not only to Eisenhower’s command of the Allied forces in Europe in World War II, and to his eight years as president of the United States, but also to his pride in his Kansas roots.

The idea of a monument for Eisenhower was proposed in 1999 by Rocco Siciliano, then the head of the Eisenhower Institute public policy center.

Eisenhower’s descendants have raised a number of objections to designs submitted by architect Frank Gehry.

Early on, some members of the family pushed for a "living memorial" — a think tank or research center to further Eisenhower’s values and goals — rather than a monument.

Later, other objections arose involving the design of the memorial. Eisenhower’s granddaughter Susan Eisenhower said large steel tapestries at the site would give it the appearance of a theme park. Other critics objected to the idea of a single statue of Eisenhower as a boy growing up in Abilene. That would take away from his military and presidential achievements, they argued.

The memorial is to be built on a 4-acre site south of the National Mall, near the Air and Space Museum. The site will be called Eisenhower Square.

The new design prominently features information about his Kansas upbringing and includes his famous quote that "The proudest thing I can claim is that I am from Abilene."

A news release last week announced the agreement on the design. James Baker III, the former secretary of state under President George H.W. Bush, acted as an intermediary between the sides.

Susan Eisenhower said all her siblings support the new design.

Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, said he hopes to dedicate the memorial on June 6, 2019, the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

Former Sen. Bob Dole, frustrated with the delays, announced last year that he would lead a private fundraising effort to collect $150 million for the memorial.

"It has been 16 years since Congress authorized this memorial and it still has not been built, and some of us older World War II veterans would like to be there for the dedication," Dole said. "I want the country I fought for — the country that has benefited from Ike’s leadership, resolve and vision — to honor Ike. Now!"

Young Americans and future generations need to know about the man from Abilene and how he changed the world.

We can hope such a memorial will motivate visitors to Washington to take a new interest in reading about Eisenhower’s life or watching video documentaries. Better still, some might be stirred to visit the Eisenhower Museum in Abilene to view displays and artifacts from his life.